The Way of St. James 3rd stage
Europe - Austria - Switzerland - Vorarlberg - Appenzell - Einsiedeln - Bludenz - Einsiedeln
von 25.08.2012 bis 30.08.2012
Autor: Heimo Wallner25.08.2012
Bludenz to Rönsch
Day 1
At the train station in Bludenz our group completes itself as we pick up Günther. The joy of reunion and the warm weather let us leave Bludenz on light feet and head towards Nüziders and on to Ludesch. There is a lot to talk about and after a few drinking breaks and pleasant stretches of road we arrive in Schnifis. Actually, we wanted to spend the night there, but instead of a pension, a young sympathetic farmer offers us a cool Frastanzerbier. In the meantime the rain has started to fall lightly and we walk the last half hour in single file to Gasthof Lòwen in Röns. There a nice room with shower and a nice landlady awaits us, who serves us dinner.
Oscar has a referee assignment today at the ice rink in Feldkiirch and so we still have entertainment today in the form of an ice hockey game.
Stage for the day: 18 km
Saying to the day: Käsknöpfli to eat, let tired feet forget.
Author: Brigitte Wallner
26.08.2012
Cordiality
2nd day Röns . Rankweil – Meiningen border crossing into Switzerland – Oberriet – Freienbach;
Total: 27 km
We arrive tired but happy at 7 pm in Freienbach, and are welcomed by the landlady of the Pens. Crown friendly received.
We started in light rain to Satteins, are greeted again and again friendly and hike happy step . At the black lake there is a story about a water woman who attracted the men and took them into the depths. No one came back, not even a corpse.
The weather improves, and after a refreshment in the cozy inn Traube in Rankweil, (risotto with shrimp) we continue the Walgauweg direction Meiningen. past cornfields. In the background the Rätikon, in front of us the Rhine Valley, until we cross the Rhine over a bridge and enter Swiss soil. A sign “Schlosswirtschaft Blatten” makes us walk faster. We are thirsty.
A group of cheerful Swiss make an initial conversation easy over juice on tap. We sit down together and after an hour we unite with singing. A slightly drunk man explains us another way; this turns out to be a detour, so that we complete 2 km extra.
But we will be compensated. Today’s place to stay is a real pearl. In the hamlet Freienbach we spend the night in the Haus zur Krone ( www.haus-zur-krone.ch )
Here hospitality is lived, we are not only warmly welcomed, but also cooked the best. Many thanks to the hosts.
Saying for the day from Albert:
Better a water woman once in a lifetime than no woman at all.
What is juice on tap, we will tell you tomorrow.
Author: Brigitte Wallner
27.08.2012
A dream day
Day 3
Hike to Appenzell and further to Urnäsch – total 25 km.
In beautiful weather with pleasant temperatures we start our tour at 9 am, after having been served a breakfast with Swiss cheese, homemade jams and eggs from happy chickens by our friendly landlady Bernadette. She even baked bread. The Appenzellerland shows itself from its most beautiful side. Forest and meadow paths alternate, cows and goats graze, farmers mow their well-kept meadows, in the background gentle hills frame the flowery decorated cottages. In this quiet, balanced area, the deceleration comes by itself during the walk. After 3,5 h we reach Appenzell, a bigger market, where we can stock up with francs and have lunch break with Rösti with Appenzellerkâse and Panasch. Suddenly we hear cow bells and experience 2 Almabtriebe. The shepherds have their Sunday best on and are singing. Decorated bells were hung around the cows. To our question, why in August is already Almabtrieb, a woman said that the cows come from a pasture where there are more stones than grass, and now there is no more food. On the way to Urnäsch we walk a barefoot path from Gonten to Jakobsbad, which invites you to take a Kneipp at the end. What a relief for our tired feet, which have already been smoking in the hot afternoon sun.
As promised the clarification, what is juice on tap? Quite simply, the drink is served cold in a bottle of 0.58 l and is cider.
Saying of the day by Günther:
A Pflümli in the evening is refreshing and refreshing. Cheers!
If you want to know what a panash is, check back tomorrow.
Author: Brigitte Wallner
28.08.2012
High above 1000 m
Day 4
Urnâsch – Alp Folenweid (1,113 m) – Schönengrund – Wald – St. Peterzell – Wattwil
Total: 22 km
With beautiful weather and already very warm temperatures, the first ascent to Folenweid makes us sweat. At the top, a refreshing wind blows and we enjoy the coolness on our faces. Again and again we enjoy the picturesque landscape, the lush green of the meadows, the typical Swiss farmhouses with many flowers and delightful vegetable gardens. Every now and then a dog greets us when we pass the lonely stoves. The farmers are busy with the hay harvest and take advantage of the sunny weather.
The people are very friendly. We also experience this during our lunch break at the Gasthof Rössle in St. Peterzell. We fortify ourselves in the shady guest garden with Walliser Schnitzel, and at the end we get a recommendation from the landlady for an overnight stay in Einsiedeln.
After the midday rest, the climb is exhausting in sultry, hot weather, and the panash we drank sweated right back out. Appropos Panasch, that is a cyclist in Switzerland. We meet a Swiss woman from Bern, who walks with us the rest of the way to Wattwil, where we take our rooms comfortably and well in the Gasthof Löwen. The sun is replaced by a rain shower.
Quote of the day:
Walk cheerfully and cheerfully on the forest and meadow paths,
Will move body, soul and spirit in harmonious rhythm.
Author: Brigitte Wallner
29.08.2012
The hardest day
Day 5
Royal stage: Wattwil – St. Gallenkappel – Eschenbach – Neuhaus – Rappaswil
Total: 29 km
In Neuhaus, on the Way of St. James, we are greeted by the Chapel of St. James, dedicated to the apostle. But until then, we have already covered some kilometers in the hot sun. The morning climb to 990 meters altitude, we go already in very warm weather. At the top, the fresh hiking shirt is sweaty through. The trail is varied and we march through meadow, forest, gravel and asphalt paths. We make good progress, and at the Gasthof Rössle at the lunch stop in St.
Gallenkappel after 4 hours, we make satisfied a rest with Spiessli, vegetables and salad. After visiting the beautiful baroque church, we shoulder our backpacks again with the refilled water bottles. Thankful that we have shady forest paths again and again, we continue towards Lake Zurich, which we can already see from a distance. Rappaswil is getting closer, the tiredness in the legs is noticeable, and the heat of the day subsides as we walk towards the center of town.
The search for a hostel is not easy, but finally we get 2 rooms in the Gasthof Krone. Fortunately for us, there is a Thai restaurant there and we look forward first to a refreshing shower and then to a Tom Yam Gong.
Quote of the day from Heimo:
The whole day it’s oppressively humid from Watwil to Rappaswil!
If you are interested in what a Tom Yang Gong is, check back tomorrow.
Author: Brigitte Wallner
30.08.2012
Already very close to the goal.
Rapperswil – Pfâffikon – St. Meinrad – Etzelpass (945m) – Einsiedeln
Total: 20 km
The rooms in the Gasthof Krone were located directly on a street with an intersection. This prompted us to drink one more glass of wine, knowing that the night did not promise a peaceful sleep. The very good Thai food and a Pflümli enhanced the house.
The weather forecast did not predict good weather, but when we set off it was still pleasantly warm and dry. After the village of Pfäffikon, the ascent to the pass began. 500 meters of altitude had to be mastered. The path leads mostly through the forest, where the humidity and sultriness is palpable as in a jungle. We are sweating profusely. In the background we hear light thunder; the clouds thicken.
After the pass we rest in an inn relaxed with Gerstlsuppe. the rest of the way to Einsiedeln is about 1.5 hours, which we walk in the rain and cool temperatures. The large Benedictine monastery with the baroque pilgrimage church can be seen from afar, and we cover the rest of the distance in wind and heavy rain, so that we arrive soaked at the church. We are grateful that we arrived healthy and fulfilled.
Günther is picked up by his sister and we bid a fond farewell to our friend.
With the visit of a mass and the evening choir prayer of the monks, we let the days end, and go the next day by train back home.
Perhaps the one or other reader gets desire to get involved in the adventure pilgrimage or long-distance hiking. The encounters with other people and many impressions while walking fulfill in a special way.
Appropos Tom Yam Gong, this is a Thai soup consisting of shrimp, tomatoes, mushrooms, chili, lemongrass, galangal and other Asian spices.
In three weeks we will travel to India; you can read about it again in the travel diary on the Touralpin homepage.
Author: Brigitte Wallner
